election day November 2009

NYC mayor shatters record for spending own cash on campaign

(Newser) -
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent a whopping $102 million—$174 per vote—to narrowly win a third term in office this month, according to figures released last night. The billionaire broke his own record for the most expensive self-financed campaign in American history, the New York Times reports.
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Independents flee Dems to avoid 'turmoil and risk'

(Newser) -
Independent voters are more volatile than ever, and politicians who want their votes need to regain their trust first, writes David Brooks . Polls show those voters, especially in new suburbs hard hit by recession, trust the government less than ever before, leaving them "in the position of a person...
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Pelosi will try to ram health care through before Blue Dogs bolt

(Newser) -
The Obama administration is running out of time in its race to enact its liberal agenda before Democratic candidates start caring more about their own re-election than the party line, writes Kim Strassel . Tuesday's results show that Obama's power is weakening, and will be the tipping point for many "...
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Reports of a great liberal realignment are greatly exaggerated

(Newser) -
The outcome of Tuesday's elections dispel the myth of a great political re-alignment supposedly heralded by the election of Barack Obama last year, writes Charles Krauthammer . Believers swore young and minority voters would establish a new liberal majority and bury the GOP. But Republican victories in Virginia and New Jersey...
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Voter backlash is about failure to lower unemployment

(Newser) -
Paul Krugman doesn't buy the GOP conclusion that voters Tuesday rejected the Obama agenda. The election just showed that American voters are worried about their jobs, he writes, and this time next year, with unemployment still high, Democrats will likely regret not having been bolder on the economy when...
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Election should be a wake-up call for out-of-touch White House

(Newser) -
The Democratic Party should view its walloping in Tuesday's election as an opportunity to start listening before it's too late, writes Peggy Noonan . The Democrats have been focusing on the wrong issues since they gained power last year and that explains the huge swing to the Republicans in Virginia and...
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Prez shouldn't lose sleep over defeated lackluster Dems

(Newser) -
if the votes in New Jersey and Virginia were a referendum on President Obama, then Ohio's vote for casinos must have been a referendum on health care reform and Cincinatti's public transit vote a rejection of cash-for-clunkers, smirks Gail Collins. Nearly all of Tuesday's results are being portrayed as blows...
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NJ, Va. votes show that president's popularity isn't catching

(Newser) -
The message to Democratic candidates from yesterday's GOP wins in New Jersey and Virginia should be loud and clear: they're on their own, writes Dan McLaughlin . Jon Corzine and Creigh Deeds tied themselves as closely to possible to President Obama and lost, demonstrating that the president's continued personal popularity isn't...
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Party back from last year's beating but upheaval still likely

(Newser) -
The victories in Virginia and New Jersey look set to revitalize the Republican Party ahead of next year's elections, writes Adam Nagourney. The party now has the chance to re-energize its base and prepare for a proper comeback from last year's defeat, although the Democratic win in New York's 23rd...
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Win follows GOP moderate, conservative split

(Newser) -
Retired Air Force Capt. Bill Owens has pulled off a major upset for the Democratic Party and won the closely watched election in New York state's 23rd congressional district. Owens was ahead of Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman 49% to 45% with 92% of precincts reporting, according to AP . Moderate...
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Frontrunner Mary Norwood vows to fix the city's accounting mess

(Newser) -
A simple focus on accounting is poised to radically—read: racially—change the politics of Atlanta . In a majority-black city that hasn’t had a white mayor in 36 years, a Caucasian city councilwoman from a tony neighborhood has a commanding lead in the polls. Mary Norwood has promised...
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Troupe threatens to sue Republican over pirated video footage

(Newser) -
Republican Chris Christie holds a razor-thin lead over incumbent Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor's race, and now he has five more potential opponents—the members of Monty Python, who are considering suing the former US Attorney for violating their copyright. An online ad the campaign swiftly yanked from...
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Limbaugh: VP should 'reacquaint himself' with Constitution

(Newser) -
Joe Biden took aim at a variety of GOP and conservative opponents today at a rally for New York congressional candidate Bill Owens. The VP said Conservative candidate Douglas Hoffman was “handpicked” by Rush Limbaugh, adding that Hoffman is in line with conservatives like Sarah Palin who “will...
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New York race just the beginning, activists say

(Newser) -
The conservative coup in New York’s special election shows just how little control the GOP has over the ascendant tea party movement—it's a mutiny, and it's just gaining steam, activists say. The folks who helped push Republican Dede Scozzafava out of the race in favor of conservative Doug...
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Hoffman calls Scozzafava a 'turncoat'

(Newser) -
Sarah Palin-backed conservative upstart Doug Hoffman called Dede Scozzafava a “turncoat” after the New York Republican state assemblywoman endorsed Hoffman’s Democratic opponent, Bill Owens. Scozzafava issued her surprise endorsement a day after pulling out of the upstate congressional race. With prominent conservatives backing Hoffman, an independent, Scozzafava had...
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Calls NJ governor key to his own agenda

(Newser) -
In a final campaign swing on behalf of the only governor seeking re-election this fall, President Obama today pitched Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine's bid as key to the White House's ability to make good on its political promises. "He's one of the best partners I have in the White...
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Conservative gets a boost, but maybe not a very big one

(Newser) -
Republican Dede Scozzafava's surprise decision to suspend her congressional race in New York leaves Conservative Doug Hoffman to battle Democrat Dan Owens. Here's what the political blogosphere is saying:

Nate Silver , FiveThirtyEight: "Gun to my head? Sure, I'd take Hoffman at this point." But it's not that cut